"In the Gare de Lyon in Paris". The same memories and pictures for 1978 as well. Part of the pilgramage back then. And even sweeter last winter going back because of the first trip. Thanks for the reminder Rick.

Hey Fritz! :) Haven't changed? Don't we all wish?! Rick knows better having met him for the first time at Jeff's BD party last Fall. It was a week after my neck disection and just prior to chemo and radiation. Now 50 pounds lighter, climbing the old classics again is a LOT easier!

"The heyday of the "wild ones" in the sixties. This group was credited with putting up many new routes in the Alps during that time, most significantly the first ascent of the south face of the Aiguille Du Fou (with John Harlin, Tom Frost and Gary Hemming) a smooth wall of sheer rock long deemed to be unclimbable."

And watching Jesse ratchet it up on the Dru again decades later brings real joy to my heart.

Yes it is one of the best threads. That pitch over the final ice bulge on the Dru Couloir Direct is the most difficult alpine ice pitch I have ever done. We retreated from just above it on much easier ground due to circumstances beyond my control. Jack Roberts, Mugs Stump, Randy Trover and me. Rick and Tobin went back the following week and did the route. It was my first alpine mixed climb in the Mt Blanc. and worthy of a write up someday. Quite an epic we had.

Hello... new here and very please to see so good climbers.
I met Steve Brewer and Mark Richey in 78... they climbed Chacraraju East... and our group the West... Bouchard/Meunier route.
Please permit me a photo for all you..

Thanks, Steve... IŽll try to collaborate from the old Europe... with old and not so ones photos and histories of climbing activities.
The stuff in the above photos was the one of the years... wooden and plastic iceaxes Stubai Nanga Parbat... salewa crampons and 50m. 9mm. single rope.
We found a rock peg from Bouchard/Meunier first climb... and made two bivouacs. Fantastic climb and hard in those years.
To congratulate Rick A... for the first ascent direct Dru couloir.
I tried in winter 91... but too hard for us... we retreated in the rock section.